Democratic Representative Debbie Dingell says she doesn't want an apology from Donald Trump after he suggested her late congressman husband is in hell – but she demands he be more 'civil' in future

  •  Debbie Dingell said Sunday that she doesn't need or want an apology from Donald Trump
  • 'I don't want a campaign to begin around that,' she said. 'What I do want is... more civility back to our political environment'
  • She made the comments after Trump attacked her and her later husband, suggesting John Dingell is in hell    
  • Dingell served in the House for 59 years and his widow, Debbie, now holds his Michigan congressional seat 
  • Trump complained that he authorized full honors for Dingell's funeral his widow still voted for two impeachment articles against him
  • Trump quipped at a campaign rally in Michigan: 'Maybe he's looking up, I don't know, but let's assume he's looking down'
  • White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the president was at a political rally and went on a 'riff' in front of the 'wild' crowd of supporters  

Debbie Dingell, a Democratic congresswoman, said Sunday she wishes there was more 'civility' in politics when insisting she doesn't want an apology from Donald Trump after he suggested her late husband is in hell.

'We have to learn in our country that you can disagree, agreeably,' Dingell told Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. 'I understand that this impeachment was a very personal issue to him. But I think there are lines you don't cross. And I think he crossed a line there.'

'I don't need an apology,' she continued. 'I don't want an apology. I don't want a campaign to begin around that. What I do want is people to take a deep breath and think going forward that their words have consequences, that they can hurt, and how do we bring more civility back to our political environment.'

The Michigan representative's comments came after the president insulted her and her late husband, who served in the same congressional seat until his retirement in 2015, during a rally in Battle Creek, Michigan Wednesday.

Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell said Sunday morning she doesn't want an apology from Donald Trump for suggesting her late husband is in hell, but said she does want more 'civility' in politics

Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell said Sunday morning she doesn't want an apology from Donald Trump for suggesting her late husband is in hell, but said she does want more 'civility' in politics

President Trump went after Rep. Debbie Dingell and her late husband at his campaign rally in Michigan Wednesday night

President Trump went after Rep. Debbie Dingell and her late husband at his campaign rally in Michigan Wednesday night

Vice President Mike Pence's Chief of Staff Marc Short defended the president's comment, claiming the late Congressman John Dingell wasn't a 'wallflower,' and mentioned Dingell calling Trump an 'imbecile' shortly before his death

Vice President Mike Pence's Chief of Staff Marc Short defended the president's comment, claiming the late Congressman John Dingell wasn't a 'wallflower,' and mentioned Dingell calling Trump an 'imbecile' shortly before his death

Dingell was close to tears the day after the campaign rally, dubbed a 'Merry Christmas' event, when she talked about Trump's insinuation that her late husband is in hell.

'I loved my husband very much. I'm still having a hard time. He was my partner and the love of my life, and so I was already having a hard time with this holiday and the comments that he made was just - it made me sad. But I'll keep doing my job,' she said during an appearance on Fox News.

John Dingell was the longest-ever serving member of Congress and beloved by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle – but he became a target of the president's ire Wednesday night when Trump complained about Debbie Dingell's vote in favor of the articles of impeachment against him.

At the Michigan rally, which took place across the state from John Dingell's congressional district in Dearborn, Trump fumed about how Debbie Dingell voted to impeach him even though he authorized funeral proceedings for John Dingell, a World War II veteran who served in Congress for 59 years.

Debbie Dingell, a former lobbyist, replaced her husband in his congressional district. She is also close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who walked to the House floor hand-in-hand with her ahead of the impeachment vote.

Trump indicated in his remarks - which came as House Democrats made him the third president in American history to be impeached - that he thought John Dingell was in hell.

'She calls me up, 'That's the nicest thing that ever happened. Thank you so much. John would be so thrilled. He's looking down. He'd be so thrilled,' Trump said, impersonating Debbie Dingell while he spoke of a conversation the two had after John Dingell died. 'Thank you so much, sir,' he described her as saying.

'That's okay don't worry about it,' Trump described himself as responding magnanimously.

'Maybe he's looking up, I don't know, but let's assume he's looking down,' Trump then quipped.

Several members of the crowd groaned at his remarks.

John Dingell was the longest serving member of Congress and his wife Debbie replaced him in his congressional seat - the couple is seen together in 2014

John Dingell was the longest serving member of Congress and his wife Debbie replaced him in his congressional seat - the couple is seen together in 2014

Debbie Dingell was close to tears on Thursday when she talked about Donald Trump's insinuation that her late husband is in hell

Debbie Dingell was close to tears on Thursday when she talked about Donald Trump's insinuation that her late husband is in hell

Rep. Debbie Dingell is close to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who walked hand-in-hand with her to the House floor ahead of Wednesday's impeachment vote

Rep. Debbie Dingell is close to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who walked hand-in-hand with her to the House floor ahead of Wednesday's impeachment vote

By going after Dingell, Trump was revisiting a grievance.

He tweeted four days ago: 'The last time I spoke to Debbie Dingell was her call thanking me for granting top memorial and funeral service honors for her then just departed husband, long-time Congressman John Dingell. Now I watch her ripping me as part of the Democrats Impeachment Hoax. Really pathetic!'

During her appearance on Fox Sunday morning, Dingell also said she wished the impeachment vote against Trump was more bipartisan.

'This shouldn't be a political moment in our nation's history. It's a sad moment,' she told Chris Wallace. 'I wish that it had not been just a partisan vote. Somebody will yell at me for saying that.'

'I don't think this is a good time in our country's history,' she continued. 'But we do all take an oath of office that requires us to protect our Democracy and our national security.'

Only two Democrats in the House voted against two articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress – levied against the president, and Dingell was not one of those lawmakers.

John Dingell was known for his dry wit, which he employed frequently on Twitter and often at Trump's expense – but even some of the conservative fans of the president groaned when Trump insulted the late congressman at his campaign rally.

Vice President Mike Pence's Chief of Staff Marc Short defended Trump's comments on Fox News Sunday.

'Chris, I'm sorry that she's hurting and I'm sorry — and I certainly wish her the best as she deals with the circumstances. I think that our administration respects the service of John Dingell,' Short told Wallace.

'We respect his service to our country in Congress and we respect her service to our country following her husband in Congress,' he continued.

'In light of where we were on Wednesday night, I think the president's saying John Dingell was not exactly a wallflower,' he said in excusing the president's comments. 'John Dingell called the president 'imbecile' in his closing months. John Dingell himself as well had a lot of critical comments about the president, yet he took time to call Debbie Dingell, to express his personal condolences on the passing. He lowered flags to half-mast.'

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Trump was 'insecure' for attacking John Dingell. She also repeated that she is praying for Trump

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Trump was 'insecure' for attacking John Dingell. She also repeated that she is praying for Trump

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Trump's attack on John Dingell was reminiscent of his attacks on the late Senator John McCain and called him 'insecure' for going after such distinguished lawmakers. 

'Let us pray. Let us pray for the president. The president clearly is insecure when it comes to statespersons, whether it was John McCain. Think of what he said about John McCain and his supporters just overlooked that. John McCain. Now John Dingell. What the president misunderstands is that cruelty is not wit. Just because he gets a laugh for saying the cruel things that he says doesn't mean he's funny. It's not funny at all. It's very sad,' she said Thursday on Capitol Hill.

The president was angry Rep. Debbie Dingell voted in favor of the two articles of impeachment against him, arguing he gave the family 'A-plus treatment' in the days after John Dingell's death in February 2019 at the age of 92.

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said on Thursday the president was at a political rally and went on a 'riff' in front of the 'wild' crowd of supporters. 

'He was at a political rally. He has been under attack and under impeachment attack for the last few months then just under attack politically for the last 2 1/2 years. I think as we all know the president is a counterpuncher. It was a very, very support I have -- supportive and wild crowd and he was just riffing on,' she told ABC's 'Good Morning America.'

She added her condolences to Debbie Dingell.  

'I would say that I am very, very sorry for her loss and I would thank her and her late husband for all of the service to our country. The president did lower the flags at the White House to half-staff to do everything he could to honor him at her request,' Grisham said.  

Cindy McCain, the widow of the late Sen. John McCain, another lawmaker often the target of Trump's fury, expressed her sympathy to Debbie Dingell via Twitter.

'I'm terribly sorry. Please know I am thinking about you,' Cindy McCain wrote. 

At his rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, across the state from John Dingell's congressional district in Dearborn, Trump fumed about how Debbie Dingell voted to impeach him even though he authorized funeral proceedings for John Dingell, a World War II veteran who served in Congress for 59 years.  

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the president was at a political rally and went on a 'riff' in front of the 'wild' crowd of supporters

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the president was at a political rally and went on a 'riff' in front of the 'wild' crowd of supporters

John Dingell served in Congress for 59 years, succeeding his father. His wife Debbie later was elected to his seat

John Dingell served in Congress for 59 years, succeeding his father. His wife Debbie later was elected to his seat

At his rally Trump claimed he ordered flags to be lowered in the wake of John Dingell's death and said he offered up the Capitol Rotunda for his memorial. 

But John Dingell did not lay in state in the Capitol - his casket was driven by the East Front and lawmakers stood on the steps to pay their respects. And Trump would not have been able to offer the Rotunda as that decision lies with congressional leadership and not the president.   

Debbie Dingell tweeted her response Thursday night in the wake of Trump's remarks. 

'Mr. President, let's set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. I'm preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder,' she wrote.  

 

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Debbie Dingell says she doesn't want Trump's apology after he suggested her late husband is in hell

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